


What's in a Name?

by SiriuslynotoverRemus



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Cute, Fluffy, I can't promise, M/M, Slow Burn, Texting, coffee shop AU, idk - Freeform, kind of, will add more tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:16:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29878275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SiriuslynotoverRemus/pseuds/SiriuslynotoverRemus
Summary: “Is that your real name?” Remus asked before better judgement could stop him.The dark haired, god-like, boy looked up at him and arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Is that meant to be a pickup line? Because I’d love to hear the punchline.”
Relationships: Background Jily - Relationship, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, wolfstar - Relationship
Kudos: 20





	What's in a Name?

Remus Lupin had an entirely normal and boring life. He was a uni student, studying children’s psychology, and worked as a bank teller part time when he could. The bank had been very open to hiring uni students in the area due to an uprise in people hoping to create a sense of community and what not. Remus wasn’t particularly sure of what that meant but he supposed it got him a job so he couldn’t be upset. 

On a random monday in the fall term Remus headed for the student cafe on campus to get a pick-me-up before heading off to his classes. As he stepped inside the warm cafe and shook off the fall chill he caught the worker standing at the till and felt his breath catch. The single most beautiful man had ever seen was taking the order of a blonde girl and Remus almost turned around and left because he didn’t think he should be even speaking to someone with such beauty. The way his dark hair was tied into a perfect top knot, with a few strands hanging stylishly in the front, his pink lips forming words Remus wasn’t registering because he would have much rather been pressing his own to them to see if the cafe boy tasted like coffee or tea or maybe a cheese danis—

“Hellooo?” came an unfamiliar yet beautiful voice that yanked Remus from his lovely daydream and he realized the blonde girl had long since finished her order and the young man at the till was staring at him expectantly. “Planning on getting something or are you just going to stand there?”

“Right, sorry. I’ll have a hot oolong tea...Just plain..” he said as he dug out his wallet from his pocket. The man nodded and Remus stared at his nametag intently recalling the star Sirius from his astronomy class. He took a moment too long to hand his card over, apparently because ‘Sirius’ was reaching over to take it from him, swiping it. “Is that your real name?” Remus asked before better judgement could stop him.

The dark haired, god-like, boy looked up at him and arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Is that meant to be a pickup line? Because I’d love to hear the punchline.”

Remus was quick to shake his head, his face turning crimson as he attempted to get his wits about him, “No, no, I-I took astronomy and I just recall…” he trailed off, embarrassed.

The boy across from him hummed and slowly nodded his head as he handed Remus’ card back over to him. Utterly embarrassed Remus stepped to the side and went to the space reserved for picking drinks up, his head feeling fuzzy as he waited for his tea. Another young man about his age, with messy hair and crooked glasses, came to hand the drink over but the boy at the till grunted and he stepped over, taking the drink from his coworker. He pulled a black marker from his apron pocket and scribbled on the cup before placing it in front of Remus who just watched in awe. Not a word was said before the stranger walked back to continue his job.

Remus picked the cup up and stared at the beautiful handwriting in amazement.

_It really is my name._

Remus all but sprinted out of there after that, his heart beat pounding in his chest. He silently chided himself for acting so silly and smitten right off the bat. He didn’t know that he could ever go back to that cafe ever again. Which was an honest shame because he truly did like what they served. He decided to forget the whole thing for not before heading off to work.

A few weeks passed before Remus gained the nerve to go into the cafe once again, only this time he went at a different time of day in hopes Sirius would not be there. His prayers were answered as behind the till was a girl with red hair and messy haired bloke was working behind her. Remus stepped up and ordered the same thing he had gotten last time, getting his order out much easier this time. He stepped to the side and waited for the drink to be placed in front of him. 

“Oi, you’re the ‘is that your real name?’ guy!” the messy haired boy from a few weeks ago recognized immediately. “Job well done with that one, mate. I’ve never heard that before!” he laughed as he put the drink down in front of Remus who was wishing the floor would open up and swallow him whole. “James! Leave the poor boy alone. You’ve got drinks to make,” the red headed girl insisted and shockingly the messy haired boy—James—got right to work.

There was really no one in the shop so Remus decided he could have a seat while he waited for his next class to begin, doing his best to ignore the fact that everyone who worked there most likely knew of the incident and if he could die from embarrassment now was the time. Why he wanted to subject himself to heinous torture, he was unsure. But he stayed nonetheless and found himself opening his old laptop to get some of his school work down. He had been settled in for quite a while when the bell rang again and someone walked in. Remus didn’t spare a glance up, sure it was just another customer there for some coffee before class but he heard the smooth sound of a voice that had been playing on repeat in his mind for the last three weeks.

“Can I have the usual Jaime,” he called over the counter and James got to work while Remus risked a glance toward the counter where the owner of the smooth voice would be standing with his hands shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket. His hair was down now and Remus could see it reached his shoulders and he secretly wondered how it would feel if he got up and ran his fingers through it. He was sure that would earn him a quick sock to the jaw but the thought remained. As if he could sense Remus’ eyes boring into him the bloke turned to meet his gaze with his beautifully cloudy eyes.

“Come to make sure my name hasn’t changed?” he asked, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a smirk when he saw Remus’ face turn red. “Right on the nose, eh?”

“Sirius if you’ve come here on your day off just to harass customers you can leave,” the girl behind the till spoke, seeming to be counting the till drawer at the moment too preoccupied to actually look up.

Sirius took on a distraught sort of look and slapped a hand over his chest where his heart would me. “You truly wound me, Evans. I came to see the Mrs. is all,” he said and grinned at James who handed over his drink. Remus stared at his computer screen and felt his heart sink because of course someone as beautiful as that man would have a boyfriend already. Which made him wonder why James hadn’t told him to back off the moment he had come in. Although he figured he wasn’t dumb and could see he wouldn’t have a thing to worry about what with Remus’ nervous demenour and inability to even speak properly to someone as beautiful as Sirius. 

Remus was drawn from his thoughts when he saw someone moving around in his peripheral and take a seat across from him. Remus looked up from his laptop screen and saw the dark and handsome young man sitting across from him, coffee in hand and quite a pleased look on his face.

“Here I thought I’d frightened you away from our little establishment. I suppose you only come when I’m not around?” he questioned. “Which is a shame because I was hoping you’d try another one of those world class pickup lines on me. Bloody brilliant.”

Remus’ breath caught in his throat as he watched the most lovely smile cross Sirius’ perfect lips. “I-I-I..” Remus stopped himself because he couldn’t even make a coherent word let alone an entire sentence. He huffed and looked down and away, face red once again. “No more lines?”

Remus sucked in a deep breath, “It was not a bloody pickup line! And don’t you think you ought to not be begging men to hit on you when your boyfriend is just over there?” he asked, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the counter. He stared at Sirius for the longest time before the most beautiful sound burst from him and the dark haired boy was in a fit of laughter, only causing Remus to turn even more red wishing he could magically send himself somewhere else.

“James is definitely not my boyfriend. Shockingly straight as a board, that one. I didn’t really take you for the jealous type, Remus,” he told him and Remus blinked back in shock, staring at the other boy frightenedly. 

“How the bloody fuck do you know my name?”

“Laptop.”

“What?”

“It’s printed on the back of your laptop. Remus J. Lupin,” he read aloud and Remus once again went red for what felt like the millionth time since entering that blasted cafe. 

“Right...well, I have class so I’ll be going.” Remus quickly shut his laptop and began to pack his bag up, very much aware of the grey eyes following his movements.

“Will you be back, then? Or are you going to avoid me again?” Sirius asked suddenly and Remus couldn’t help but think that perhaps this angel of a man could read his mind. “Can I have your number then? I’d quite like being able to text you whenever I like. Find out what it is you do when you aren’t sipping tea and coming on to baristas.”

Remus nawed on the inside of his cheek, wanting to insist once more he had not been flirting with Sirius, not on purpose anyway. But he didn’t have the energy, just groaning and pulling out his phone. He quite liked this cafe and, really, who was he to say no to giving his number to this beautiful bloke? Sirius was asking him after all, so Remus didn’t even feel desperate. 

In the end he gave his number up but didn’t expect anything to come of it. It was only when he felt his phone vibrating in the middle of class did he decide he’d made the right choice.

_-I do hope this was a real number and you weren’t faking me out. Hope to make your tea again soon ;)_

Yes...Remus had made the right choice indeed.


End file.
